The present invention relates to a toy vehicle and launcher system and, more particularly, to such a system wherein the toy vehicle is a miniature racing car or the like.
Toy vehicles such as miniature racing cars, but also including miniature airplanes and the like, have for generations appealed to both children and adults. In some instances, the vehicles are used without any launcher, with the user's hand restraining the vehicle against forward motion relative thereto until the user's hand releases the vehicle. Such a mechanism is essential where the toy vehicle is propelled only by the momentum imparted thereto by the user's hand. On the other hand, where the forward momentum of the toy vehicle is to be provided by means other than the user's hand, the toy vehicle is commonly (although not necessarily) used in combination with a launcher. The vehicle is mounted on the launcher, which has releasable locking means for precluding forward motion of the vehicle until the locking means is released. The present invention is directed to such a toy vehicle and launcher system.
Essentially, there are two types of toy vehicle and launcher systems. In one type, the toy vehicle is motor-driven by means of a wind-up spring-driven motor which provides forward motion for the vehicle. While the motor may have the spring thereof wound directly by means of a key or the like, typically the motor is wound up by moving the vehicle by hand over a surface with the relative motion of the wheels over the surface causing rotation of the wheels and winding up the spring of the motor linked thereto. In some instances the vehicle is moved exclusively in a rearward direction in order to wind the motor, although in other instances the vehicle may be moved both forwardly and backwardly, with both motions acting to wind up the spring of the motor (such a dual-motion motor being available under the trade name DARDA). Preferably a clutch is provided to preclude overwinding of the motor.
In the other type of toy vehicle and launcher system, the launcher is provided with biasing means such as a compression spring, rubber band, or the like, which is stressed and, upon release, imparts forward momentum to the vehicle as the biasing means returns to its unstressed condition. For example, where the biasing means is a compression spring, the compression spring has its rear end fixedly secured to the launcher, and the spring front end is moved toward the spring back end in order to compress and stress the spring so that, upon release thereof, the spring front end moves sharply in the forward direction, thereby imparting forward momentum to the vehicle. Where the biasing means is a rubber band, the forward end of the rubber band is fixedly secured to the launcher, and the band rear end is extended rearwardly relative to the band front end to stress the rubber band by expansion, so that, upon release of the band rear end, the rubber band contracts and the band rear end moves sharply in the forward direction, thereby imparting forward momentum to the vehicle. The stressing of the biasing means may be either directly by the user (for example, the user may compress the spring or extend the rubber band before the vehicle is placed on the launcher), or indirectly using the vehicle where the act of the user in mounting the vehicle on the launcher stresses the biasing means (for example, by the user moving the vehicle rearwardly on the launcher to thereby stress the biasing means).
As is well known to those skilled in the toy vehicle art, the two drive systems--the wind-up motor in the vehicle and the biasing means in the launcher--have different characteristics. The biasing means in the launcher can provide the vehicle with an initial quick acceleration immediately upon release from the launcher. The forward momentum of the biasing means is transferred to the vehicle so that the vehicle is immediately propelled forward with substantial force. However, the velocity of the car in the forward direction peaks shortly after the launching and then gradually diminishes due to frictional effects, wind resistance and the like. In other words, the biasing means in the launcher provides a quick start, but a short run (that is, a short travel by the vehicle). On the other hand, the wind-up motor must overcome the initial stationary momentum of the vehicle, and, in particular the motor parts, before it can "come up to speed." However, depending upon the capacity of the spring in the motor, the motor can continue to provide a force driving the vehicle in the forward direction for a prolonged period after the vehicle has been released from the launcher. Thus the wind-up motor provides a slow start, but a long run. While the characteristics of the systems differ, one providing a quick start and a short run, and the other providing a slow start and a long run, the ideal system would combine a quick start with a long run.
For the most part, the conventional toy vehicle and launcher systems have utilized a launcher adapted to be placed on a floor, table or like flat surface in a stationary position, with the user manually depressing a release mechanism in order to release the locking means and enable forward motion of the vehicle. In such a system, the user is psychologically spaced from the vehicle, and hence from the driver of the vehicle, so that he is less able to identify with and imagine himself to be the driver of the vehicle. There has been a wrist-mounted launcher with the axis of the vehicle being perpendicular to the axis of the wrist (and thus the arm) so that the vehicle, upon release, had a forward direction motion transverse to the wrist; however, it was difficult to "aim" the vehicle in a given direction due to the transverse mounting configuration, and the user's sense of identification with the driver was therefore only minimal. It would be easier to aim the forward motion of the vehicle and promote the sense of identification with the driver if the vehicle had its initial forward motion along or parallel to the axis of the limb so that the vehicle would actually travel over the phalanges of the user.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toy vehicle and launcher system which combines the advantages of a wind-up motor in the vehicle and a biasing means in the launcher to provide a quick start and a long run for the vehicle.
Another object is to provide a toy vehicle and launcher system wherein the launcher is mounted on a limb of the user so that the initial forward motion of the vehicle is parallel to the axis of the limb.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a toy vehicle having two separate and independent drive means so that it achieves a quick start and a long run.